Nozzle casing for broom-type vacuum cleaners



Jan. 27, 1953 G. M. KELLY ETAL 2,626,418

NOZZLE CASING FOR BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Sept. 10, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l w I 1 g y Q? H i fur/2171272 5 eozgelfffslly QZezzzezzlfllleatlzermazz 5 KWHM E Jan. 27, 1953 G. M. KELLY EIAL 2,626,418

NOZZLE CASING FOR BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Sept. 10, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 f2: 721210.215 660129917. 15 9,; Z31 dlezzzezztflleakem Patented Jan. 27, 1953 NOZZLE CASING FOR BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANERS George M. Kelly, Sturgis, and Clement M. Leatherman, Bronson, Mich., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Kingston Products Corporation, Kokomo, I nd., a corporation of Indiana Application September 10, 1948, Serial No. 48,576

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly, to an improved construction which permits the manufacture of a rigid broom-type" vacuum cleaner which is greatly improved with respect to appearance and operation and which afiords substantial reductions in cost over constructions heretofore known in the art.

Inasmuch as vacuum cleaners of the rigid broom-type formed by a coaxial unit structure have long been known in the patented art both in the United States and foreign countries, this invention necessarily relates to structural features of such vacuum cleaners which simplify the procedures of fabrication, reduce the cost of manufacture, enhance the aesthetic appearance and facilitate the efficient operation of a portable vacuum cleaner machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner of the so-called rigid broom-type.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved nozzle casing fabricated from a single-piece casting characterized by having formed therein a dirt-removal opening and an air inlet duct communicating with one another as controlled by a flexible flapper valve or partition.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved partition for preventing the inadvertent spilling of debris from the dirt-collection chamber upon cessation of sweeping operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means for selectively partitioning the nozzle casing inlet duct and the dirt-collection chamber by means of a flexible flapper member which does not collect lint or dust and which has a smooth surface not conducive to the adherence of foreign particles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a one-piece nozzle casing with a dirt-removal opening formed therein for cooperation with a door whereby the accumulated contents of the dirt-collection chamber may be speedily and eiiiciently removed.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved means for purging a dirt-laden collapsible fabric receptacle of accumulated dirt by means of a reciprocating spring-biased mechanism.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed drawings which, by way of preferred example only, illustrate one specific embodiment of the invention.

n the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a rigid broomtype vacuum cleaner embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view with parts in elevation showing the structural details of the nozzle casing and dirt-collecting chamber of the cleaner;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail showing a preferred embodiment of my new improved flapper partition;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view showing the structural features of the nozzle casing;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structural details of my improved bushing for mounting the motor suction unit and the operators handle; and

Figure 7 is an end view of the bushing mount- 8'.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring to Figure 1, a rigid broom-type vacuum cleaner is indicated at ill comprising a nozzle casing ii, a body casing i2, and an operators handle it. The cleaner is equipped with an electrically powered motor suction unit housed in one end of body casing l2 and operates in a conventional manner well known in the art to induce an upward draft of dust-laden air through nozzle casing ii into body casing H! where the air is filtered in accordance with a procedure to be described and then discharged outwardly of the body casing l2 through a plurality of discharge slots H. Electrical energy is conveyed to cleaner II] from conventional electrical outlets by a conductor l6 which may be appropriately coiled as shown in Figure l-when the cleaner Hi is not in use.

Referring now to Figure 2, a portion of cleaner I0 is shown in section as comprising nozzle casing II and a dirt-collecting chamber I! located in one end of body casing l2.

The nozzle casing I! is preferably fabricated of suitable light-weight metal by forming a single casting. The mold for such a casting is designed so that the completed nozzle casing I l defines an inlet duct I8 which is bounded on its underside by a shaped shoulder portion i I a and on its upper side by an inclined wall portion llb. Shoulder portion Ma and wall lib are situated at the throat of a convergent portion of the nozzle casing which roughly corresponds to the configuration described by an obelisk or a frustrum of a rectangular pyramid. Using the planes of reference of Figures 1 and 2. the inclined wall lib merges in a roof llc which terminates in an annular circumferential flange lid. The bottom of the convergent obelisk section of nozzle casing i l opposite the roof Lie deflnes a dirt-removal opening II which is bounded on the edge corresponding to the base of the obelisk by a rounded wall leading into annular circumferential flange lid.

As may be seen in Figures 1 and 5, the nozzle casing li extends in transverse symmetry from the longitudinal axis of the cleaner and defines substantially a T-shape. Inlet duct ll likewise extends outwardly on a transverse axis and is terminated at both ends by a pair of enlarged portions as at I is having formed therein a pair of housings II for a pair of wheels 2i mounted on a pair of pin axles 22 suitably located in offsets formed in enlarged portions lie so that the wheels II will support the cleaner and place the air inlet duct is a predetermined distance from a surface to be cleaned.

Formed within the shoulder Ila and lying ad- Jacent the inlet duct it is a transverse rectangular shaped notch 23 for receiving a tufted brush II of a type well known in the art consisting of a body 26 mounted in the nozzle casing 'ii by a conventional leaf-type spring mounting 21 so as to normally bias the brush 24 against the surface to be cleaned. Thus, any lint, thread, or other foreign particles adhering to a rug surface, for example, will be engaged by the brush 24 and subsequently drawn through the air inlet duct it by the flow of air therethrough.

Positioned on the underside of the nozzle casing ii for cooperation with the dirt-removal opening I! is a door 20 (Figures 2 and made of metal in sheet or plate form and suitably shaped to define a dish-like configuration. The door has a peripheral flange 28a and is extended at one endto deflne a door hinge 28b for receiving an axle pin 2! about which the door 28 pivots. The pin 29 is positioned and supported on the underside of the nozzle casing ll by a pair of lugs II! which are located in a position just forward of the flange lid. The lugs ill may be perforated either as a part of preforming the nozzle casing or by drilling to receive the pin 2! in bearing support.

A peripheral gasket 30, made of a suitable elastic material such as soft rubber, is secured to the flange 28a with an adhesive such as rubber cement or the like. Said gasket It bears against the side walls of the nozzle casing II as well as against the shoulder Ila and the trailing edge forward of the flange lid when door II is closed, thereby insuring an air-tight seal of the dirtremoval opening II.

The door 28 is equipped with a latch 3i formed from a bent metal strip and pivotally mounted on a fulcrum pin 32 extending through the door 28 so as to cooperate with a notch 34 formed in the shoulder lid for locking engagement when the latch Ii is pivotally positioned on a line with the longitudinal axis. As may beseen in Figure 2, the gasket 30 is of such a thickness that the relative dimension between the faces of the bearing surface defined by the shoulder i la and notch II is normally less than the dimension between the surface of the gasket II and the surface of the latch 3i. Thus, when the door is closed and latched the gasket 3| is compressed and tends to bias the latch 3i against the shoulder lia resulting in an air-tight sealed assembly of the door 2. andthenozzle casing ll.

'As may be seen in Figure 2. the shoulder iia extends inwardly into the nozzle casing ii and is terminated by a lip I in. Secured to said lip lia by an adhesive, such as rubber cement or the like, is a flexible flapper it formed of a molded, elastic, resilient rubber material or the like. The flapper ll normally defines a rectangularly shaped tongue 33a (Figure 3) and a dipper-like configuration disposed on one end with an arcuate groove 33b for cooperation with a correspondingly shaped bead formed in the lip i is of the shoulder lid. The points of juncture adjacent each end of the arcuate groove 83b are reinforced by a pair of stiffener shoulder portions "c for supporting the tongue Ila against longitudinal collapse and to normally urge the tongue no toward the top of the nozzle casing thereby effectlvely partitioning the inlet duct ll from the dirt-collecting chamber ll, as well as the chamber defined by the obelisk portion of the nozzle casing II.

It will be readily apparent that the flapper 33 will be flexibly displaced to a position indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2 when the motor suction unit causes a stream of air to be drawn through inlet duct ll. However, as soon as such stream of air ceases to flow, the flapper 33 will return to its original position because of its own resilience, thereby preventing accumulated dirt and litter from re-entering the inlet duct l8 and falling on a clean surface. It should be noted especially that when the cleaner is held upright, as, for example, during storage or when it is desirable to dispose of the accumulated dirt through the dirt-removal opening it, the flapper 33 effectively seals 01! the inlet duct II and prevents entry of dirt therein.

The use of the flapper It affords other inherent advantages in that it presents a perfectly smooth rubber surface which is not at all conducive to the adherence and accumulation of dirt, lint and other litter such as frequently has occurred in those structures employing a fabric tube valve to perform the functions associated with partitioning an air inlet duct.

As shown in Figure 2, one end of the body casing l2 deflnes a dirt-collection chamber ll. Positioned within the chamber I1 is a fabric cylinder 30 for intercepting dirt and litter entrained in the air flowing through the cleaner ll. The fabric cylinder 36 is open on one end for communication with the nozzle casing l I. The flange lid contains an annular groove 81 for receiving the cylindrical wall of the body casing if. The ends of the fabric cylinder II are curled around the body casing l2 and are cemented in said groove 31 with a suitable adhesive thereby providing an eflicient sealed union between the noszlecasing ii andthebodycasing i2,aswellas an adequate support of the fabric cylinder 3. The body casing i2 is retained in flrm longitudinal assemblywith the nozzlecasing ii by apair of machine screws II which cooperate with a pair of drilled and tapped boss portions lih located on opposite sides of the flange lid. The screws 38 pass through a pair of strip metal clips II which are securely fastened to the body casing I! by a plurality of rivets ll.

The cloud end of fabric cylinder It is supported by a circular metal ring-like reinforcing member II. An integral channel-shaped support extending across the diametric axis of the reinforcing member I is stamped out at its center to define a notch 42 to receive and support a plunger rod 43 in aligned assembly with reinforcing member 4|. The end of the coil spring 44 is straightened at right angles to form rod portion Me which extends transversely across a diametric axis of the reinforcing member. A rectangular end plate 46 suitably stamped out to define a notched receptacle is secured to the reinforcing member 4| and receives rod portion 44a in aligned assembly with plunger rod 43 and reinforcing member 4|. The spring 44 is coiled about the fabric cylinder 88 and is retained endwise by a plurality of hooks 41 secured to the body casing l2, thereby normally biasing the fabric cylinder 36 to its fully extended position.

As may be seen in Figure 2, a portion of the rod 43 is acutely inclined with respect to the plane defined by the reinforcing member 4! and the remaining portion of the rod 43 runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaner in. A decorative boss Hi is provided in the nozzle casing M which is suitably formed to receive the rod 43 in sliding engagement. Said rod as terminates in a handle 48. Thus, it will be apparent that when it is desired to dispose of dirt and litter accumulated in the fabric cylinder 36, the cleaner may be held in an upright position, the door 28 is swung outwardly from the dirt-removal opening l9 and the handle 4a is manipulated to reciprocate the plunger rod 53, thereby alternately overcoming and releasing the bias of the spring M which results in a snapping efiect being imparted to the fabric cylinder 36 for effectively ejecting all foreign particles from its interior.

The dirt-collection chamber I1 is terminated by a flange retainer plate 49 secured to the body casing i2 together with hooks ll by a plurality of screws 50. The flanges of the retainer plate ts center and support an annular sponge rubber ring 5! which defines a counterbore for receiving and supporting a motor suction unit 52. The construction details of the motor suction unit 52 do not constitute a part of this invention. Accordingly, said motor suction unit 52 may take the form of any suitably powered suction unit well known in the art.

Situated on the upper end of the motor suction unit 52 is an improved mounting of the present invention, which, as indicated in Figures 6 and 7, comprises a bushing mounting 53 preferably made of molded rubber or some similar elastic resilient material and defines a counterbore 53a for receiving the motor suction unit 52 in aligned center support. on its opposite end, the mounting 53 defines a counterbore 53b of a smaller inside diameter than counterbore 53a which terminates in a transverse passage 530 thus forming an integral passageway for introducing a pair of electrical leads A and B into the interior of the tubular operators handle l3. A reduced diameter portion 53d fits snugly within the extension of the tubular operator's handle E3. The mounting 53 is further supported in radial alignment by a multi-pronged mounting plate 54 preferably formed from a light-weight metal to define a circular hub portion 54a for snugly receiving the extension of the operator's handle 83 and a plurality of radially spaced prongs 54b bent inwardly on the ends to form a plurality of toes 550. The mounting plate 54 may be secured to the shell of the body casing l2 in any conventional manner as, for example, by passing rivetsor screws through the toes 540 or by spot welding said toes 54c to body casing 12.

It will be evident that the entire motor suction unit 52 is adequately supported against radial and axial vibrations by virtue of its forward support in the ring II and its rear support in the mounting 53. A cleaner constructed in accordance with this invention is exposed to far less vibration than has been ordinarily the case in past practice, and the operation noise level of the cleaner is drastically reduced.

The body casing l2 terminates in a suitable convergent portion and is secured to the operators handle l3 by a bolt 58 which engages a threaded conductor cord hook 51. The upper portion of the handle l3 houses a conventional electric switch 68 and a strain-release assembly indicated generally at 59. Lying adjacent to the strain-release assembly 58 is a second conductor cord hook 60.

The operator's handle l3 terminates in a gracefully curved sweep and is closed by a plug 6|. A pin 62 connected to the plug 6! supports a ring 63 thereby facilitating suspended storage of the cleaner as may be desirable, for example, in a utility closet.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that we have described a rigid broom-type vacuum cleaner of improved performance insofar as casing vibration and noise level are concerned and of simplified and greatly improved construction insofar as economical and eflicient maunfacture thereof is concerned.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a rigid broom-type vacuum cleaner, the improvement comprising, a nozzle casing having an inlet duct and a bottom dirt-removal opening, and a valve comprising a flexible sheet of resilient material having formed therein an ar cuate groove and a pair of stifiener shoulders, said valve having its arcuate groove attached to a correspondingly shaped abutment of said nozzle casing located between said inlet duct and said bottom opening, thereby dividing said nozzle casing into an inlet portion and a dirtcollection portion, said valve being, flexibly displaced by the flow of inlet air to admit dirt and other foreign objects, but being resiliently returnable to its normal position upon cessation of flow of inlet air to prevent entry of dirt into said inlet duct, and a dgor means to close said dirt-removal opening.

2. In a rigid broom-type vacuum cleaner, the improvement comprising a nozzle casing, a resilient flapper valve partitioning said nozzle casing into an inlet portion and a dirt passage portion, said casing having a bottom opening formed in said dirt passage portion, a reclprocable dust bag having an open end, means for mounting said bag with said open end of said bag in communication with the dirt passage portion of said nozzle casing, a reclprocable plunger slidably supported by said nozzle casing and connected to said dust bag, and a door to control said bottom opening in said casing, whereby said door may be opened and said bag may be reciprocated to remove dirt from said bag through said opening.

3. In a rigid broom-type vacuum cleaner, the

improvement comprising a nozzle casing. a parti- I tioning flexible valve member in said casing. said' casing and said valve member together forming mounting said dirt-collecting bag on said nozzle casing with said open end or said bag communicating with said dirt passage portion, a plunger slidably carried by said casing and having one end extending exteriorly or said casing and having the other end connected to said dirt-collection bag, said nozzle casing having a bottom opening in the dirt passage portion thereof, and a door closing said bottom opening to permit selective purging of said dust bag upon opening said door and operating said plunger.

4. In a rigid broom-type vacuum cleaner including a nozzle casing having a dirt inlet portion, the improvement comprising an air porous fabric cylinder having an open end and arranged to have the open end in communication with the nozzle casing, an end plate connected on the opposite end 0! said fabric cylinder, spring means engaging said end plate to normally bias said fabric cylinder to a fully extended position, and a reciprocating rod attached to said end plate and having an actuating portion extending through and exteriorly oi said nozzle casing for collapsing said bag against said spring means to assist in removing dirt from said fabric cylinder.

GEORGE M. KELLY. CLEMENT M. IEATHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED Theioliowingretereneesareotreoordintho nleotthispstent:

Number 1 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hutchinson Sept. 27, 1910 Boyer Dec. 26, 1911 Small July 17. 1917 Orr Mar. 16, 1996 Daddio Oct. 30, 1928 Reddig Sept. 27, 1932 Townsend Apr. 18, 1933 leathers June 2'1, 1933 ,Kroenlein Oct. 93. 1934 Kent Mar. 10. 1936 McAllister Aug. 20. 1940 Anderson June 17, 1941 Vose Apr. 11, 1944 Nui'ier Oct. 10, 1944 Coss Apr. 2, 1946 Taylor Oct. 15. 1946 FOREIGN PATINTB Country Date Germany Nov. 7, 1931 Germany May 30, 1942 

